Jun 16 10 Things Black Ballerinas Know All Too Well

1. That look of incredulity and surprise when you tell people you’re a ballerina.

Are you really shocked?! Do you SEE my calves?!

2. “You know, you should really try modern dance!”

No shade to the modern dancers, y'all are BEAST AF, but I know I look like a drunken penguin when I take modern. I'm gonna stay in my lane. I belong in pointe shoes.

3. “You need to lengthen more”

This is a shady, roundabout way of telling dancers to lose weight. I’m Black. I’m muscular. I’m already small. I’m not ever gonna be rail thin and you’re gonna have to deal with it. Plus, I can outjump every girl in this class. Have you seen my sissone?

4. That feeling when you see another Black girl in open class

Luckily more brands are starting to make strides in terms of having shoes in more colors (both Gaynor Minden and Capezio have started to make pointe shoes and tights in multiple skin colors) but STILL…

6. The battle to get your hair into a French twist.

Romantic buns, French twists…from Giselle to the works of George Balanchine, we put our kinks and curls through so much to match up. There’s a lot going on up there. Pamper your hair after Act II (or Act III) with Miss Jessies and Mielle Organics.

7. That your shade of red lip for the recital is NOT gonna be the same as Becky’s…

Don’t have yourself or your homegirls out here looking foolish. Get right for Nutcracker and recital season.

8. The feeling you had when you Lauren Anderson presented Misty Copeland with flowers after her New York debut of Odette/Odile Swan Lake

*cries in Black Girl*

9. ...And the feeling you had when you first heard about Misty’s promotion

Black Girl Magic Everywhere

10. That no matter where you land, you are in amazing company. Raven, Debra, Lauren, Misty...and now you.

We are just the latest in a long and storied line of dancers like Carmen DeLavallade, Raven Wilkinson, Debra Austin, Robyn Gardenhire, Aesha Ash and Virginia Johnson to break the mold. To see other Brown Ballerinas in action, check out Brown Girls Do Ballet!